Remembering our roots ~ Marie Louise Praeker

By John Godsman Times Contributor

Marie Louise’s maiden name was Van Tighem and originated in Meulebeke, Belgium. In 1874, Leonard Van Tighem came to Canada and in 1883 became a Catholic priest. Brother Victor came to Canada in 1886 and became a missionary, returning to Belgium in 1929. The first Roman Catholic Church in Strathmore was built by Father Leonard and his parishioners and opened in 1910.
They had two nephews, Joseph and Adiel Van Tighem, and Joseph followed his uncle Leonard to Strathmore in 1893, following the death of his parents. He went on to become the Union Bank manager and raised his family of five here.
Adiel, who was Marie Louise’s father, arrived in Strathmore in 1909, and on a trip back to Belgium had proposed to Maria Caenepeel, who followed him to Canada in 1924. They were married that same year in Strathmore and had 10 children.
Maria’s family was very upset that she decided to follow Adiel to Canada, travelling on her own by boat and train, at the young age of 22.
After their marriage, Adiel promised Maria that she could return to Belgium every 10 years to visit her family, a promise he kept.
Adiel served with the Canadian Armed Forces in the First World War in Belgium and was one of the many soldiers gassed, resulting in lung damage. After the war he worked odd jobs, one of them being at the CPR Experimental Farm. Eventually he became a farmer. The last farm he owned was on Dunbow Road, east of Highway 2 south of Calgary.
Marie Louise was born in Strathmore on July 7, 1925, the oldest of 10 children – five boys and five girls. She grew up on the farm in Strathmore, then the family moved to a dairy farm in De Winton, Alta. Milking cows and delivering the milk to the dairy in Calgary were just a couple of chores she did. She attended school in Strathmore, Pine Creek and De Winton. When she started school, she didn’t speak or understand English, because the language used at home was Flemish. But she soon learned this new language and became quite fluent. She remembers going to school fairs, and that she and one of her sisters were 4-H members and showed dairy calves. Her father raised purebred Holstein cattle and some of them were the highest producing milk cows in Canada.
The Praeker name originated in Germany, but there’s no history showing when the family moved to North America. Bill Praeker’s father Herman moved to southern Alberta in 1911 from Council Bluffs, Iowa, riding in a boxcar. Herman married Annie Van Bavel (born in Belgium) in 1915, and they lived on the Desmet farm until moving to their own farm close by, in 1919. Herman was a good gardener and their farm was often the choice location for neighbourhood picnics, school meetings and barn dances. In 1928, Herman was fatally struck by a vehicle in Calgary. Two years later, Annie married Serafien Verweire, and they continued farming the home place until 1952.
Bill was born in Strathmore on Dec. 7, 1918. He grew up on the family farm with his two sisters and attended Elwood School which was located just north of the farm. He loved sports and in his younger day, played hockey and baseball, and he loved curling.
Marie Louise’s and Bill’s families knew each other, and it was natural for them to meet at functions in the Strathmore area. Marie Louise and Bill were married on Oct. 28, 1950 in the Lacombe Home Chapel in Midnapore and had seven children; Marie Louise now has 18 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
After their wedding they drove to Vancouver for a few days, but the trip through the mountains scared Marie Louise so badly she wouldn’t come back the same way, and convinced Bill to put the car and themselves on the train.
Marie Louise and Bill operated a mixed farm, and she was an accomplished combine operator as were many farm wives. Bill passed away on June 17, 1994.
Marie Louise did a lot of volunteer work – a large family meant driving kids to various activities, and as a grandmother she was first to call for babysitting.
Marie Louise was very active in the Sacred Heart Church’s Catholic Women’s League and the Crowfoot community; she assisted with the Namaka history book as well as 4-H Pins and Needles, she sewed costumes for the ice carnival and drama club, and she canvassed for the Red Cross and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. She often drove friends to Calgary for medical appointments.
A long life, well lived.